Dave from Dayton

I would be more interested in UK when... What. Am. I. Saying??? (Let me know when they get academically accredited.)

I perceive that the coach knows how to build a program. Does he really try to get ballers and shooters that think that the team is more important than individual players? Does he think that basketball IQ and effort means and sharing the ball is more important than a 41" vertical jump? Are guards going to get the ball in play and steal more balls than a front court? Do the number of stars mean more than everything else? Well, I don't know but he may be on to something. I wondered about Archie stepping up. But he did very well in Dayton. I knew that Crean was full of hype and was unsure about him winning without Wade. Sampson is a winner but was risky and IU didn't handle it well at all. No comment on Mike Davis who was too unseasoned. And IU, again didn't handle RMK's last decade. What a fiasco. I will give CDD the benefit of the doubt. But, I just don't know. I like the guards and the shooters and those that try harder.

The top of the Power 5 conferences may have gazillions to throw at 500 ballers. And the rest of the crowd of athletes from less advantaged universities get a trickle. Kind of like those millionaires that are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They are entitled and 'deserve' it. The rest of us may struggle getting a living wage. And certainly those with disadvantages get less. But hey...that's it. The NCAA definitely blew it. But the NCAA is the power universities who were in charge. Somehow, someway...there has to be a sense of fairness or of morals or...social empathy. I used to be rather conservative. But the older I get...the more...I want to listen and respond with empathy.

Sad but true. Unlimited money and unchecked power will ruin everything. Some things never change. Read Sartre.

Any word on the recruit visiting today? Josh Harris...

Been to Puerto Rico twice. Once in the U.S.Navy and once on our honeymoon. Down there in September and wondered why there were so many vacancies. (Spoiler alert: hot and elevated chance of a serious storm...Hurricane season is June through November.) Like other places down there, they have been rocked by multiple hurricanes. Still having issues with electrical power grid outages, rebuilding and disparity in opportunities for people. Although it did not stop us from hitting the beaches, checking out old San Juan, visiting the impressive fort, getting to the rain forest and immersing in the countryside and some culture. Did not go to the Bacardi Rum Distillery/factory. Just go out early and siesta afternoon, then go out late. I was reflecting on the goodwill that IU had because of RMK and the referees and the police. Also, politics are not really favorable. If anyone is really wanting to learn about Puerto Rico and the other islands/countries and their relations with the USA...read something about the sugar cane plantations and importing slaves from elsewhere. The islands still have not fully recovered from the sugar companies' exploitation economy, human rights and politics. My daughter and SIL are down there for 5 days at a business conference. Will get a report about their impressions, very soon. Even thinking of going down for our 50th wedding anniversary family trip. Regardless, it will likely be an education for the athletes and a positive growth opportunity for the team.

Looking at that configuration, I had to chuckle. Any cracked pipe in that run would be a challenge for me to fix only if I could not get the darn thing apart. Guessing that may be the challenge on the other section (not shown) that actually broke. I like long straight runs that accept cutting outside of the problem and inserting a new section with bell end and I tighten a good bell end with a turnbuckle. But the above, because of the lack of a straight run, is seriously constraining for my sophomoric fix. Can you get the pipes apart? Is the problem that the crack is in the 90 bend? The ridges on the nut are the clues that it is supposed to turn and at least one side of pipe might be threaded to accept the nut. If it is glued then it is a more challenging problem. May have to cut out the problem and the check valve. Then replace the whole thing with a new check valve and sections of pipe. My unfinished basement is a great place to see the exposed pipe runs and electric etc. Love my unfinished basement. I can swing a wrench and do serious damage. I had two sanitary vent risers that were black ABS plastic pipe...the cleanout cracked in the wye. Cut out a long straight stretch and put in a new white one. PVC has two steps to glue together ends. ABS has one. ABS is stronger and can deal with shocks and low temperatures. I have black ABS pipe runs for my sump pump discharge and suction. But some studies report minor health risks if found in food. And there may be some local regulations against it's use. PVC really is better for not leaking warmth when transmitting warm water. It may also dampen the transmission of sound. But the two step process takes longer... Did you get your nut off? On second thought...disregard my question./s

Being both an engineer and a finance guy...I get a kick out of statistics....and comparisons of the same. I also know that it is a snapshot and not reality. Thank you for putting this together and sharing. Having said all of that...now for the big question. What do you make of this? And how much time did you take putting it together? Can't wait for the season to start to evaluate if the coach was successful in meshing gym rats with a hungry chip on their shoulders with sharing the ball with good basketball IQs. Feeling it a little...

No expert here...but it may be called a PVC compression coupling...or slip nut joint. It accepts a PVC spanner wrench. It pulls the two pipe ends together. Use a slip nut joint (with or without a turnbuckle) when you need a flexible, adjustable connection, or when accommodating movement or vibrations is a priority. As a professional civil engineer in a previous life...you owe me 4 tickets to the next final four of IU men's basketball...or an alternative ok by you...for my excellent consulting by searching Google.

While that may be correct, Alexis missed the last 7 regular season games because of an ankle injury. And then suffered another ankle injury just before the SEC Tournament. He suffered the injury at Mississippi State on Feb. 11 and had his left foot in a walking boot. Golden said Alexis returned to practice on March 3 and was progressing well... per Sam Alexis injury update: When will the Florida forward be back?

I just do not know what to expect beyond better shooting, better offense from the guards and wings, better outside ball movement, better outside defense, better plays, better competitiveness, more wins. What I do not know is about the front court and overall team performances. Also I do not know who will start in the B1G. The coach is also a big unknown with all the variables he and his staff and the team have to deal with. Finally, I do not know about the competition. The head coach DeVries and his staff obviously will be a serious upgrade in many areas with experience in college basketball coaching. I just hope that the team performs well and meshes. Glad that it is happening, finally. If they compete very well in the B1G and get into the top 6 then that is decent. Of course we want them to compete for the top of the B1G but as of yet they do not have the experience playing together, in a new system, with upperclassmen that are well seasoned, and we are missing 5 players. And I hope that everyone stays healthy and grows in a positive manner. Things could be worse...The Purdue Boilermaker Special just had an accident on US 52...crossed the centerline and hit a car head on...one fatality...this is no joke: One dead after crash with Boilermaker Special on U.S. 52

I have been yearning for a great guard or guard combo. Got to have them to get the offense moving and to stop the other team from doing the same. I know that other team members are vitally important too. But we have had guards that just did not compete or execute at the highest levels. They have to have talent. They have to be floor generals. They have to be smart. And they need some other elite asset. We shall see. But since the coach wants the ball in the hoop quickly...that means he needs guards that create. I feel he is trying to accomplish that. I have hope and by the time they toss that first ball in the air...I am going to be sky high with optimism. Yeah...we win the off season yearly. But this coach is an experienced and smart college coach. There are a lot of positive intangibles there.

I don't know about all of that...but there is a Donut Fairy that lives on the north side of Lake Wawasee. I had heard the stories from years back from my wife and her sister that worked at the donut shop there for a couple of summers. Some guy would come in on Sunday mornings and buy a couple of dozen donuts. And the word was that he would take them and deliver them to friends' houses and leave them at dawn on front porches...sneaking away. Years later some found out who he was. My family did not know. But the guy kept coming in on Sundays for years...buying dozens. A few years ago, at a reunion of our wedding party...my wife was telling the story to the bridesmaids. One perked up and grabbed the group hustling to her father's house next door. He is/was the Donut Fairy. Friends even had engraved a plaque with that on it.

I could live there. Provided, I could use extra $$$. Daughter and SIL live adjacent to Balboa Park in San Diego. Very nice. Way too many people. Too much sunshine for my skin. And not enough water for the booming demands.

Okay, Nostradamus, who's next?

Madison WI was a great place to live from late '77 to '82. Located on an isthmus between two lakes, the State of Wisconsin Capitol building is beautiful. Open markets every Saturday when produce is available. U of WI is 7 blocks away with a pedestrian-scale walk featuring restaurants, boutiques, night spots, vendors, galleries and street performers. The WI student union is great in that there is a terrace overlooking Lake Mendota and a small university-run set of piers for sailboats and kayaks etc. Being the liberal city with only one big industry...Oscar Mayer...it is a service-oriented and diverse cultural center. Hockey and winter sports are embraced. Snow skiing is one hour away. You like parks and primitive camping? It is loads better than anything that Indiana or Ohio has with the exception of Turkey Run and Hocking Hills...but without the population pressure. Walks, hiking and camping can be very remote. Arguably, better than Brown County. Not like a KOA. Loved the politics of Madison WI. Milwaukee had a lot of population-driven culture. Fresh baby Swiss cheese that you see the small cheese factory making is a treat. Have you visited the House on the Rock? Horicon Marsh? Do you know who Aldo Leopold is? The Dells? Have you ever heard a loon in the morning as fog rises over a lake? I have lived in PA, W and E KY, but those do not count since I was too young. Mt. Carmel IL, Evansville IN, Bloomington IN, Chicago IL, Groton CT, Portsmouth and VA Beach VA, Madison WI, and Dayton OH. I have visited over 45 states, Mexico, Canada, multiple islands south of here, all over Europe...and Madison WI wins hands down. Except, it sure gets cold up there. It really depends, I think, on one's social circle and being inquisitive. It may have been the timing and situation, too. I was with my new bride and Wisconsin was an adventure away from my home routine in Indiana. It is a big, wonderful, exciting world out there. I would leave Dayton if my family had not set up roots here. Toying with the idea of Ashville NC.

Is that you, Dr. Seuss?

A shout out of thanks to all that support and post on BtownBanners! Thank you! You all help Hoosier fans get though the lean years. Get ready to hang another banner! Right?!

And self-disciplined and willing to work hard. Goes well with being very smart. Interpersonal skills, which are clearly there, puts him a cut above. Wondering about connections...to up and comers and college preps/academies.

Does Indiana's coaching staff need a Secretary of Defense? /s

You're saying that the sky is falling??

Win at all costs! In society it is ok to not have ANY rules. Screw your neighbor. Holders of the public trusts do not have to take care of those trusts. Teachers can say and do anything as long as students move on. Institutions do not have to do what they are by law charged to do. Universities, that represent ideals and are responsible to political jurisdictions do not have to try to teach and improve the lives of students. We are not on this Earth to help one another. Grab what you can. Wrong on many levels.

If that is the case, glad we do not have 21 scholarships.

Reed Bailey, 6'10" F, Davidson College, A-10 First Team, rumored to be favoring IU allegedly posted on Trilly. Unconfirmed as yet. 1 year of eligibility. From the below link comments, fans posted: He can operate as a point forward (41% from 3) and can score from the blocks. He can use either hand near the basket and has a quick first step to take his man off the dribble. He passes well (3+ assists per game) and can handle the ball in transition. No idea about his defense, guarding a power forward. At 6’10, he is not a center and IU would still need a power forward and an athletic center. Fan sites had UK, now getting interest all over...some say it is a done deal. Dunno. IU basketball transfer portal names to know: Davidson’s Reed Bailey – The Daily Hoosier

I understand this sentiment. And I hear those that may blame IU and not Sampson for the overreaction. Also there is enough blame to focus on IU's lack of oversight upon hiring Sampson while he was on non-double-secret probation. One could also blame Knight and his mishandlers in the administration for not dealing with him before he blew it in the press. Oh well. I do not believe that people that act badly are inherently bad people. One thing that is great about the philosophy or belief some hold is that one can redeem themselves. It almost never is too late to change. A whole lot of people screwed IU basketball (and football). To blame one person or two, or to focus on only one time or a couple of years does not encompass what many see as an effort to downplay major sports at IU. Does this sound like a conspiracy theory? Or is it a bunch of clowns? Why not a lot of really counterproductive agendas? I was not happy about any coach hiring decision since RMK. But have cheered for each one to win while keeping eyes mostly wide open. I realize that no coaching hire is perfect. To continue dwelling on or hating what happened before does not really matter today if we have learned from it and the person is not acting the same generally bad way. I am saddened that Coach Sampson did not work out at IU. He should not have cheated. IU should have watched him so closely that he could not cheat. I do not have a big feeling, personally, about which team I will cheer for in the upcoming championship. I will let you know...maybe. What I really enjoy is watching individual performances, excellent efforts, smart plays, shrewd moves, tactics and taking advantage of what is offered by the other team. I want great teams playing at the highest levels. I want A.J. Moye-type leaps. Excessive money and lack of controls and human beings all being involved means that the game is not perfect in a sense. Has it ever been? But the NCAAT is a hoot. Enjoy the games.